What started as a way to make some extra summer cash for teenage Donny Rocovits, pulling pool lights and installing heaters, turned into a lifelong career full of passion.
“When I was 16, my neighbor, Joshua Bice, would pay me to help with his pool work,” Rocovits says. “Eventually, at the age of 20, Josh helped me get my first job in the industry at Island Breeze Pool and Spa.”
Rocovits worked for Island Breeze for the next eight years, where he learned how to clean and service pools.
“After discovering that I was a fast worker and mechanically inclined, the owner ‘threw me to the wolves’ into the repair side of the industry,” he says. “There, I discovered where I truly excel — selling, installing and repairing pool equipment.”
After honing his craft at Island Breeze, Rocovits was offered the role of repair manager for Precision Aquatics in San Diego, California, where he has been for six years and counting.
“With the owner’s mentorship, I have been able to lead a team of repair technicians and assist our service technicians with repair-related questions,” he says. “I pride myself in being able to help and educate our team so they are fully confident and capable of tackling any challenges that may pop up while doing their jobs.”
As his career progresses, Rocovits looks forward to continuing with Precision Aquatics as they elevate the industry through collaborating with manufacturers to develop new product lines.
Rocovits’ favorite part of working in the pool industry is that it’s always evolving.
“There are many career paths, and every day presents new and interesting opportunities to grow, whether in building relationships with clients or discovering new products to explore and give feedback on,” he says
Rocovits hopes to change the widespread perception of the “pool boy.”
“We do so many things other than just push vacuums and nets around pools,” Rocovits says. “I want this industry to be recognized for all the cool things that we do. I would like to be remembered as someone willing to share anything that I have learned along my journey in the industry.”